Alum. fuel tank repair?

admin

I have one of those pretty pos 100 or so gal. diamond plate alum transfer tanks that started to leak at the factory weld. I've played with my spool gun on some alum. junk that didn't matter much, but this is out of my ability to repair. Before I drag it to a shop, I have a question. I understood that when working with alum,that everything needs to be real clean and if your wire brushing, use a SS brush, well if this is true, can the fuel residue be cleaned enough to re weld? Or is my tank worth X $/lb for scrap now? Thanks
Reply:Where exactly is it leaking from?...zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:I repair aluminum diesel fuel tanks.   I have a radiator shop steam and clean them out  until you can't smell diesel.  Most tanks have a layer of black crud in the bottom any how.  Its good to get it out.  Then the tank is more like new.   DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:Originally Posted by zapsterWhere exactly is it leaking from?...zap!
Reply:Just repaired a 100 gal. aluminum fuel (gas) tank on a 20 year old 24' Albemarle.Old tank was in remarkably good shape for it's age.  Somewhere along the line, a previous owner had drilled a hole in the deck for mounting something (?) and didn't properly seal the hole.  Water dripped down and caused corrosion on the back end of the tank.  Several pin holes developed in the aluminum.We pulled the tank out of the boat, filled with water and Simple Green and sloshed it around rather vigorusly.  Dumped the water out.  Refilled with water and added Dawn dishwashing solution.  Sloshed it and let it sit overnight.  Next AM we dumped it and rinsed with fresh water.Set the tank on saw horses and purged the tank with CO2 (used CO2 because I had a bottle I needed to drain).  Took a Milwaukee Metal cut saw (alum blade), clamped on fence guides, and cut the whole back off the tank.Cut a new back end out of 1/8" 6061 (used that vs 5052 since that's what I had and wasn't going to be bending it).  Trimmed it to near perfect fit with a router, and welded the tank back up with tig and 5356 filler.Filled tank with water and pressure tested to 4 psi overnight.  No leaks.$450 repair vs $1,600 + freight for a new tank.  Very happy owner.You may get by by flushing the tank and purging with argon, CO2, or nitrogen and then tig welding the leaky seam, but it's sorta a crapshoot.Syncro 250 DX Dynasty 200 DXMM 251 w/30A SG XMT 304 w/714 Feeder & Optima PulserHH187Dialarc 250 AC/DCHypertherm PM 1250Smith, Harris, Victor O/ASmith and Thermco Gas MixersAccess to a full fab shop with CNC Plasma, Water Jet, etc.
Reply:i typically rinse them out with dawn and water, and tig the tanks because you can use the HF to draw any contaminent out and hit it with a flapper and get rid of it, ive never had one leak ive done quite a few tractor trailer tanks......just my way.....
Reply:If its leaking from a crack, I think there will be more leaks in time.Truck fuel tanks have some meat to them.  DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.